Hazel asked
What is PMS?
Asked in Portuguese, translated automatically. See the original
Soso answered
PMS stands for premenstrual tension, which is that set of changes in the body and mood that can appear in the days or weeks before menstruation begins.
What usually happens
Basically, doctors think these changes happen because of hormone fluctuations before menstruation, but nobody knows exactly how. Every body reacts very differently, and some people feel more things than others. The most common signs before menstruation include:
- Bigger feelings: becoming more irritable, sad, anxious, or emotional out of nowhere
- More sensitive, heavy, or sore breasts
- Mild cramps or feeling bloated
- Pimples appearing on the face
- Less energy or fatigue
These signs usually improve and disappear a few days after menstruation finally starts.
When to tell an adult
It's super common to feel these things before menstruation, but you don't have to go through anything too difficult alone. Hormone changes before menstruation can make feelings bigger, and doctors still don't know exactly how. If the feelings don't improve a few days after menstruation starts, or if they interfere with school, friendships, or sleep, tell a trusted adult. If the feelings become so big that they scare you, or if you feel you can't keep yourself safe, tell a trusted adult right away.
If you want to start noticing how your body behaves each month, you can note what you feel in the daily log section of the SosĂ´ app: this way you'll see exactly what is typical for your cycle.
Soso's answers are written by AI. They don't replace professional medical advice.
Where these facts come from
- Mood changes before a period, and when to tell an adult
- Low mood: signs to tell an adult about
- Sore breasts before a period
- Spots before a period
Each fact shows the study or medical guideline behind it, and what it does not prove. All our medical sources